Effective Utilization of Weapon-Grade Plutonium to Upgrade Repeatedly-Reprocessed Mixed-Oxide Fuel for Use in Pressurized Water Reactors

Abstract

A “Multiple Recycling” mode of fuel management is proposed for effectively utilizing weapon-grade plutonium from discarded military material to compensate plutonium degradation in repeatedly-reprocessed mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel. Comparative calculations on core performance are undertaken for comparison between the proposed fuel management mode of Multiple Recycling—using recovered depleted plutonium upgraded by admixture with weapon-grade plutonium while retaining unincreased the total plutonium” content—and a reference mode of using repeatedly reprocessed spent MOX fuel with plutonium upgraded through increase of the plutonium content. Multiple Recycling proves all calculated safety parameters to be retained unimpaired through multiple cycles of MOX fuel reprocessing, whereas in the reference mode of refueling with spent MOX fuel reprocessed without upgrading with weapon-grade plutonium, many of the calculated safety parameters come to exceed stipulated limits with repetition of fuel cycles. Moreover, Multiple Recycling mode can be implemented with application solely of techniques already practiced in the fabrication of MOX fuel.

KEYWORDS:

• weapon-grade plutonium
• plutonium recycling
• multiple recycling
• fuel management
• CASMO
• SIMULATE
• PWR type reactors
• reactor core
• performance
• MOX fuel